Wild Ginger ... Growing in Hawaii

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Wild Ginger

Ginger has got to be one of the stongest smelling scents on this island. When in season a drive from Ka'u to Hilo is filled with the scent of Ginger. More than half the drive the road sides are just filled with ginger in huge patches. We will often stop along the road with our machetti and cut some to bring home. You need a machetti cause the stem is so thick it takes a machetti to cut it. When I came to Hawaii to get married in 2000 my Mother had sent my wife and I leis to our rooms. Both leis had ginger in them. Going up the elevator, I swear we both felt intoxicated from the scent of the leis. We both felt like we had already drank the bottle of champagne that awaited us in our room. That strong scent was the ginger in the leis.